U.S. Pat. No. 5,062,677 of Jay et al, entitled "Wheelchair Back System," discloses a wheelchair back assembly that provides a high degree of support and adjustability in order to accomplish various therapeutically important functions. This patent discusses several back related problems faced by wheelchair users, such as kyphosis, scoliosis, instability, redness of the spine, and general back pain. The discussion therein provides good background for understanding some of the back related issues addressed by the present invention.
A common back rest problem faced by wheelchair users and particularly by paraplegics is the inherent difficulty in changing one's pants or pulling one's pants down and back up again when using the bathroom from a wheelchair. Prior art wheelchairs commonly employ back rests that pivot relative to a seat base, but such designs are awkward solutions to the problems associated with the simple task of manipulating one's pants while seated.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a back rest assembly for a wheelchair that can better accommodate the body movements necessary for dressing while seated.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a back rest assembly that while capable of functioning as a back rest, also provides firm, comfortable support, during normal use, and does so in a manner that allows maximum movement of the torso.